Afghanistan Analyst Network 2023-2025

In 2023 AAN published 50 reports (this number includes special reports and dossiers) on the English website and of those 21 were translated and published on the Dari/Pashto website (11 in Dari and 10 in Pashto). The focus of the reporting in 2023 was the economic situation in the country and the new laws promulgated by the IEA. In 2023 AAN rolled out two new types of report: The Daily Hustle (storytelling by individual Afghans around a particular theme) and Themed Reports (reports grounded in indepth research and/or complex subjects, hoped to have a long shelflife). AANs annual report also provides information on outreach, including citations, briefings and speaking engagements. In 2023 AAN reports were cited 136 times, and AAN authors gave over 30 media interviews and provided more than 50 briefings/speaking engagements. AANs reports were cited in several journal articles and in special reports, such as SIGARs quarterly reports. AAN follows its media outreach and has had a stable number of pageviews (823 000) by 255 000 users. The Dari/Pashto website had 26 500 pageviews from around 17 000 users. Sida has read and used several of the reports produced during 2023 and considers them of good quality and high relevance. The report on "What Do the Taleban Spend Afghanistans Money On? Government expenditure under the Islamic Emirate" and the report "A Taleban Theory of State: A review of the Chief Justices book of jurisprudence" have both been referred to in meetings of the Afghanistan Coordination Group, indicating both their relevance and the potential AAN has to influence policy makers.

AANs overarching goal is to contribute to building a solid base for informed policy-making on Afghanistan, while ensuring that Afghanistan stays on the international agenda and that important country-specific and wider thematic lessons are learnt for future policy-making. AAN's outcome objective is to provide on regular basis informed, in-depth and balanced research and analysis on Afghanistan to the general and expert public, free-of-charge, the on AAN website. The specific objectives are to: 1.Research and analysis: Coordinate, organise and carry out relevant research within the AANs eight thematic research areas and produce analysis to provide information, context and assessment to policy makers, development workers, civil society and other target groups. 2. Communication: Regularly publish research and analysis reports on AAN websites (English and Dari and Pashto) 3. Networking: AAN will seek to maintain and expand its network of researchers and continue collaboration with other research institutions and with universities. AAN's new research programme will focus on eight thematic areas identified as crucial for the future of Afghanistan: 1. Rights and Freedoms 2. Economy, the Environment and Development 3. Migration4. Political Landscape 5. War and Peace 6. Regional relations 7. International Engagement and 8. Context and Culture.